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BHoops: Pasadena keeping foot on pedal vs. Muir

Pasadena (19-6, 13-0) clinched its 10th consecutive Pacific League title earlier this week. But with one game left in the regular season, don’t expect the Bulldogs to hold back.

Pasadena hosts crosstown rival Muir (14-9, 7-6) today at 5 p.m. That’s reason enough for the Bulldogs to get fired up as they await the Division 1AA playoff pairings.

But there’s more on the line for Pasadena.

“We have to win this game because we need to keep our position in 1AA,” said coach Tim Tucker, whose Bulldogs are ranked No. 7 in the division coaches poll. “We can’t afford to drop in that division. I’d like to go into the playoffs with a 14-game winning streak as opposed to coming off a loss.”

Tucker knows Muir will be clawing for a better league placement in hopes of keeping its No. 2 spot in the Division 5AA poll.

“Muir is fighting for third place and to keep their position in the division that they’re in,” Tucker said. “So they’re coming in here needing to win.

“When it comes to the Muir-PHS game, you never look at who’s playing for what, records and what it looks like on paper. It’s about who laces them up and is ready to play.”

Muir, in the first meeting, raced to a 16-point lead before falling, 54-51.

Tucker knows the feeling of losing an impact player, and such has been the case for Muir.

News about the dismissal of Deshawn Hayes (18.2 points, 7.5 rebounds) from Muir’s team because of repeated team violations is something Tucker can relate to. He, too, lost his best player in Todd Lewis Jr., but for a much different reason.

“I look at it two ways,” Tucker said. “One is you lose a kid like Deshawn and other guys step up. We lost our No. 1 player with a broken foot. He was an All-CIF guy who led his team to the CIF State semifinals, and now we have other guys step up.

“That’s what I see with Muir. Other guys will step up. Secondly, often times you have teams that focus more. I don’t see that much of a letdown because the rest will come together.”

I don’t like how Tuck tries to downplay Deshawn Hayes value in this article. He tries to make it seem like Todd Lewis is so much better however that’s not the case. Pasadena went to the semi-finals with a very deep team, I think they would have been a great team regardless of Lewis. Deshawn Hayes has carried the load for Muir for two years now, and has led them to some huge victories like against CV where he scored 32 points. Deshawn Hayes has came up big in all of Muir’s big games and he has a great future in basketball. Regardless of his personal issues at home or whatever, I believe once he goes off to play college ball and gets out of his environment he will be a force to be reckoned with. I’d take Hayes over Tuck’s Etiwanda transfer/recruit any day. Goodluck Deshawn and get your focus right, your too talented to not be on the court.

Observer

I don’t like how Tuck tries to downplay Deshawn Hayes value in this article. He tries to make it seem like Todd Lewis is so much better however that’s not the case. Pasadena went to the semi-finals with a very deep team, I think they would have been a great team regardless of Lewis. Deshawn Hayes has carried the load for Muir for two years now, and has led them to some huge victories like against CV where he scored 32 points. Deshawn Hayes has came up big in all of Muir’s big games and he has a great future in basketball. Regardless of his personal issues at home or whatever, I believe once he goes off to play college ball and gets out of his environment he will be a force to be reckoned with. I’d take Hayes over Tuck’s Etiwanda transfer/recruit any day. Goodluck Deshawn and get your focus right, your too talented to not be on the court.

viking_fan

I took it more as he was saying that the rest of the squad will come together to fill the void left by Deshawn. He wasn’t downplaying his value. You make it sound like Muir is nothing without him, which is downplaying the value of the rest of the players.

Go figure

I will take Lewis way before Deshawn lewis is a team player he share the ball not look like a one man show out there like Deshawn and his one man show thinking he is every thing may be the reason he got kicked off the team. Lewis hands down is a better player to lead his team as a jr to the finals unlike Deshawn playing in DIV 4 or 5 or 6 whichever it is. Hell Lewis was scoring good numbers against competitive teams not the Monrovia’ or St Francis come on man if you know basketball you will know the differnce. Pasadena’s least best players can go the Muir and put up good numbers with that schedule.

DAVY

They both are great players I didnt take it like Tuck was makin a difference he was saying both teams lost a impact player. Because Lewis made all cif and everything doesnt mean he was a better player than Deshawn Tuck seem to be sayin two impact players was not playin with there squads.. Hell Lewis and Hayes was the two best players at the game I saw….

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